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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28970967">Together is Warm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/askywalkergryff/pseuds/askywalkergryff'>askywalkergryff</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Brother-Sister Relationships, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Cuddling, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, anakin is ahsoka’s big brother, and I am way too obsessed with their relationship, and it’s adorable, but he is also her dad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:40:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28970967</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/askywalkergryff/pseuds/askywalkergryff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Anakin and Ahsoka take a trip to Tatooine to visit Anakin’s family after the end of the Clone Wars, which came much quicker than expected.</p><p>Shmi Skywalker was alive and well when Anakin and Padme visited in Attack of the Clones</p><p> </p><p>(It’s literally just fluff. I need happiness for my favorite duo.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker &amp; Shmi Skywalker, Shmi Skywalker &amp; Ahsoka Tano</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>144</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Together is Warm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This takes place at like mid-end of season 4 ish I guess?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cloaks were necessary, Anakin had decided. </p><p>Regardless of the fact that not one, but two glaring suns were beating down on them, Ahsoka and Anakin had covered themselves almost fully as they trekked through the burning sand.</p><p>A spare shirt had been tucked between Ahsoka’s montrals to disguise her species. Anakin knew all too well that most Togruta on Tatooine were slaves, and he would be damned if <em>anyone </em>came too close to his sister.</p><p>“So...” Ahsoka began. “Full circle, don’t you think?”</p><p>Anakin laughed.</p><p>“Yeah, I guess so. Last time we were here, you were just about... this big,” he said, lowering his hand to to just in front of the top of his abdomen.</p><p>“No, I was not!” Ahsoka snapped back in response, swatting his hand. “I was almost your height.”</p><p>“You’re joking right?” Anakin chortled, his expression faltering for a moment as he watched the eyes of a traveler passing by lower down to Ahsoka’s feet, and then slowly back up again. He cleared his throat, playfully wrapping an arm around her shoulder. He was unsure if the action was done to distract her from the man’s disgusting leering, or to wordlessly tell the man to <em>back off.</em></p><p>“C’mon, Anakin, I’m not that short; I’m taller than Padme,” she retorted.</p><p>“That proves absolutely nothing,” Anakin snorted. “Speaking of which, <em>you</em> promised to call her, and I’ve yet to see you step anywhere near the holo table on the ship.</p><p> </p><p>“Yo<em>u’ve got your cloaks?”</em></p><p>
  <em>”Yup!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Night robes?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Yes.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Boots?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Padme, I’m wearing them right now.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Sorry, baby brain,” she had chuckled, face palming. “Now, promise me: you’re going to call me when you get there, alright? Both of you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Promise,” Anakin and Ahsoka had answered in unison.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Alright. I’ll see you in a week. Have fun,” Padme said, hugging Ahsoka tightly.<br/>
</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Bye!” she called climbing up the ramp of the ship.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”If you don’t want me to leave, just say so. I shouldn’t be leaving you while you’re-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Ani, relax.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”No, really. I’ll understand if-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Anakin Skywalker, get on that ship now, or I swear I’ll call Obi-Wan to come knock you out and drag you on board.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”I’ll do it!” Ahsoka called. Anakin rolled his eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You deserve this,” Padme spoke, poking him in the chest.<br/>
</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”Love you,” Anakin sighed, dropping a quick kiss on her lips.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”I know.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll comm her when we get to your mother’s place,” Ahsoka replied. Anakin felt her stiffen.</p><p>“Something wrong?”</p><p>“I just... I don’t know... do you want me to wait outside when you first go in?”</p><p>“What!?” Anakin exclaimed, laughing. “Of course not. Why would you say that?”</p><p>“I don’t want to impose-“</p><p>”<em>Ahsoka</em>,” Anakin spoke sternly, using a voice that made her want to reply with an equally dramatic ‘<em>Master</em>’ (a title that she had dropped fairly easily after leaving the order with him)</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Anakin lowered the arm wrapped around her shoulders to hold her hand. He squeezed it.</p><p>“I wouldn’t have asked you to come if I didn’t want you here.” Feeling her wave of uncertainty in the Force, he continued. “When have I ever lied to you?”</p><p>“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered. “Where do I begin? Hmm, how about... your <em>marriage</em> for one thing-“</p><p>“I told you about my marriage!”</p><p>“Yes! After three years!”</p><p>“But I never told you I <em>wasn’t</em> married.”</p><p>“You’re impossible.”</p><p>“I’ll take that as a compliment.”</p><p>“How the <em>kriff</em> is that a compliment?”</p><p>Anakin didn’t seem to catch her reply as he stopped walking, lifting his hand to point to a small, beige house with a rounded roof. They stood in silence as they took in the homestead in front of them.</p><p>“She’s going to love you, Snips,” he whispered.</p><p>“Why wouldn’t she? <em>You </em>love me,” she teased, nudging him in the side. Anakin rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Nope, I hate you,” he replied, walking her over to a piece of rubble.</p><p>“What’s this for?” she asked as they sat down on it, squished together.</p><p>“We slide down,” Anakin explained.</p><p>“And we can’t just walk because...?”</p><p>“You wanna try walking?” he asked sarcastically.</p><p>“Is that a challenge?”</p><p>“Yes, I suppose it is.”</p><p>“Alright then.” Ahsoka wriggled her way out of Anakin’s arms, stood up at the top of the hill, and confidently broke into a full sprint.</p><p>“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Anakin called. He slid down the hill, and toppled over laughing as Ahsoka tumbled into a heap beside him, her hood flying off. “Told you so.”</p><p>“I hate you,” she grumbled, pulling herself off of the ground and punching him in the shoulder. Anakin rose beside her, still chuckling to himself as he brushed the sand off of her now-exposed lekku. He knelt down to pick up the shirt that had fallen out of her hood, tucking it into the pocket of his cloak.</p><p>“No you don’t,” he replied with a smirk.</p><p>“How long has it been since you’ve seen your mom?” Ahsoka questioned as they arrived at the door (if you could even call it that. It was more like an archway with a curtain hung over it).</p><p>“About three years,” he said bitterly, his resentment towards the Jedi order clear in his voice. Ahsoka rested a hand on his shoulder, mimicking an action that he had done so many times to calm her down.</p><p>He sighed heavily, and turned to face her.</p><p>“Ready?” she asked.</p><p>“Ready.”</p><p>Anakin ducked through the flap of the curtain, purposely letting it hit Ahsoka in the face as she followed behind him. She giggled as the fabric tickled her face, kicking him in the back of the knee to make him stumble forward.</p><p>He wrapped his arm around her middle, prodding his fingers into her sides, making her squirm from side to side as he carried her through the sandy entrance.</p><p>“Put me down!” she yelled, trying to wriggle out of his grip as they entered what seemed to be the kitchen.</p><p>“Er... hello?” Anakin called, ignoring Ahsoka’s pleas as she kicked his shins.</p><p>“Shmi, he’s here!” called a rough voice. Its owner walked- no, <em>wheeled</em> -himself into the tiny kitchen.</p><p>Anakin let go of his grasp on Ahsoka, and reached out his hand to shake the man’s.</p><p>“Ahsoka, this is my Stepfather, Cliegg Lars. Good to see you again,” he greeted.</p><p>“You too, Boy. And nice to meet you,” Cliegg spoke, reaching a hand out to Ahsoka. She gripped it tightly and shook.</p><p>“Nice to meet you,” she replied with a smile. </p><p>Anakin opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes quickly darted to behind Cliegg, focusing on something else.</p><p>“Ani,” his mother spoke softly, striding over to him. She reached up to hold his face in her hands, tilting her head to the side as tears formed in her eyes.</p><p>Anakin quickly wrapped her in a hug, catching a soft smile from Ahsoka out of the corner of his eye.</p><p>“I’ve missed you so much,” he replied, his voice cracking slightly. He pretended not to hear the stifled giggle from Ahsoka, and the prompt message through their Force bond saying: <em>Ooh, you’re crying</em>.</p><p>“Hush up, Snips,” he whispered, pulling away from his mother. “Mom, this is Ahsoka. I’ve wanted you both to meet for a very long time.”</p><p>Ahsoka stuck out her hand to shake as Shmi smiled warmly at her. Instead of a formal handshake, however, she was greeted with a quick hug.</p><p>“It’s nice to meet you, Ahsoka,” she said, pulling back. “Why don’t we all go sit down for dinner? Beru and Owen are almost ready with it.”</p><p>“We can set the table,” Anakin offered. Ahsoka nodded in agreement. Her and Anakin had both been banned by Padme from the cooking part of dinner after an <em>incident</em> that had involved a couple of singed curtains. Setting the table was always their job at home.</p><p>“Of course not,” Shmi answered, shaking her head.</p><p>“You’re our guests for the week,” Cliegg added, leading the small group through another curtained doorway.</p><p>“You grew up here?” Ahsoka asked, looking around in awe. Anakin responded with a nod, and a bittersweet smile.</p><p>“Yeah,” he whispered, smiling down at her. “Jealous?” he joked.</p><p>“A little,” Ahsoka admitted. Anakin arched an eyebrow. “You got to know somewhere other than the temple as your home.”</p><p>“Well, you’ve got Padme’s as your home now,” he pointed out.</p><p>“How is Padme?” Shmi asked, turning around at the name, a knowing smile on her face.</p><p>“Right,” Anakin began, taking a seat. He patted the spot beside him, before reaching up and pulling Ahsoka to sit down. “Padme and I are... well...”</p><p>“They’re married, and she’s pregnant,” Ahsoka announced, nearly bouncing up and down in her seat. Shmi sat down across from Anakin.</p><p>“Ahsoka!” Anakin scolded with a laugh. “That’s <em>my</em> news to tell.”</p><p>“Oh, well I thought you were going to lie about it again,” she replied with a smirk.</p><p>“That’s wonderful news!” Shmi exclaimed. “You’ll make an amazing father.”</p><p>“I’m really hoping for a girl,” he added. “Got lots of experience raising those.” He softly slid an arm around Ahsoka’s middle, and she beamed up at him, scooting herself so close that she was practically sitting on his lap.</p><p>After so many years of missed opportunities for hugs and physical affection, the two of them often found themselves sitting like that- closer than most would think to be normal, but comfortable for them.</p><p>“Oh! I’ve got to comm Padme!” Ahsoka exclaimed.</p><p>“You’ll get a better signal out in the hall,” Shmi said.</p><p>“Thank you!” Ahsoka called, rising out of her seat, and rushing out of the room.</p><p>“She’s very sweet,” Shmi spoke as Anakin turned to face her.</p><p>“Only when she wants to be,” he scoffed, smirking fondly. “She’s a pain in my ass, but I love her to pieces.”</p><p>“What was the name you called her earlier?”</p><p>“Snips,” Anakin laughed. “It’s been her nickname for three years now. Once you get to know her better, you’ll figure out why.”</p><p>“I see,” she laughed, and Anakin’s smile brightened. “And Padme’s well?”</p><p>“She’s doing great. I was torn between coming here and staying with her, but she forced me to leave. I’m glad that I’m here.”</p><p>“I’m glad that you’re here too.”</p>
<hr/><p>“And then they turned on this magnet thing, and since he has a metal arm, he went flying up to the ceiling with all of our lightsabers,” Ahsoka laughed as Anakin face palmed. “But it gets better. After he was stuck to the ceiling, th-they,” she choked on her own giggles, “they turned on the electricity, and I’m sure you can guess what happened next.”</p><p>“Zap!” Shmi provided, chuckling. Anakin slid his hand down his face as the whole family laughed.</p><p>“Are you really going to tell this story everywhere we go?” he asked. Ahsoka nodded, knocking one of her montrals into Anakin’s chin. “You’re such a brat,” he laughed, shoving her away.</p><p>“The suns should be setting just about now,” Beru spoke up.</p><p>“Come on, Snips. You’re going to love this.” Anakin took Ahsoka’s hand, guiding her out the door behind the rest of the family. “I used to watch the suns set every night as a kid. It’s... breathtaking.”</p><p>“Wow,” she gasped as they stepped outside, the colors of the sky reflecting in her clear, blue eyes.</p><p>“Yeah,” Anakin agreed, walking blindly towards the rest of the group, where they were setting mats up to lay on.</p><p>Anakin took a seat, pulling Ahsoka close to his side. She lifted the flap of his cloak, sandwiching herself between her brother and the thin fabric.</p><p>”Cozy down there?” he asked, grinning.</p><p>“You know it,” she answered, smiling right back.</p><p> </p><p>Shmi watched from a careful distance as her son lifted Ahsoka’s hands to point out different constellations. Pride welled in her chest as the memories of her doing the same with him so many years ago resurfaced.</p><p>They laughed at something she couldn’t hear as Ahsoka crawled her way up into his lap, still giggling as she slid her arms into the loose sleeves of Anakin’s cloak. She flinched, likely at the cold touch of his metal arm, and they both toppled backwards, wheezing with laughter.</p><p>“Stop! You’re <em>squishing</em> me!” Ahsoka squealed as Anakin rolled over her.</p><p>Suddenly, they were wrestling with one another, using moves that could only have been doable with the use of the Force.</p><p>Shmi turned to see Beru and Owen giggling at the pair with the same fondness as her. She leaned back into her husband.</p><p>“I think he’s going to make a fine father,” she decided.</p>
<hr/><p>“We decided to leave on the same day that the war ended. Fighting for the Republic was the only reason that we were still there, really. Padme and I publicly announced our marriage that day too. We highly considered adopting Ahsoka, but, I’m only six years older than her, so we figured we’d just let her live with us- be her ‘unofficial guardians’, you know?”</p><p>“Of course, of course. And what of Obi-Wan? The last time you were here, you said you were training under him,” Shmi prompted.</p><p>“He couldn’t quite bring himself to leave. He visits all the time, though. I don’t know what I would do if he didn’t,” Anakin sighed.</p><p>“All finished,” she spoke softly, pulling the wooden brush out of Anakin’s hair. He climbed up off of his knees, and back onto the couch beside his mother.</p><p>“Thank you,” he said. He was referring to the hair brushing, but Shmi knew that there was so much more to it. He leaned his head onto his mother’s shoulder, enjoying her warmth.</p><p>“You know, I wouldn’t have been able to raise Ahsoka if it weren’t for you?” he whispered.</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“I used to sing her lullabies when she was younger- well -not that much younger. She was apprenticed to me almost three years ago. Feels like it’s been longer. Anyways, we both would get nightmares all the time from the war, still do. I would sing your songs to her a lot. Not sure if it was to comfort myself or her, but it seemed to work for both parties,” he explained with a smile.</p><p>“I’m glad to hear I could help. You have no idea how proud of you I am,” she replied softly, stroking her fingers through his hair like she used to do when he was a kid.</p><p>A sudden wave of fear in the Force took him slightly out of the moment.</p><p><em>What’s the matter, Snips?</em> he asked, feeling that it was coming from her.</p><p><em>Nothing, nothing</em>, she assured him.</p><p>
  <em>The usual?</em>
</p><p><em>I’m fine, I promise, </em>she insisted.</p><p>
  <em>Come into the living room. We were just talking about you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Excuse me?!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All good things, I promise. If it’s the usual problem, you’re going to need the usual solution, right?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You’re with your mom. I don’t want to-</em>
</p><p>
  <em>AHSOKA TANO, MY MOM LOVES YOU! IF YOU SAY YOU’RE GOING TO IMPOSE ONE MORE TIME-</em>
</p><p><em>Fine, fine! I’m coming! </em>she whined.</p><p>“Er... Anakin?” came a quiet voice from behind them.</p><p>“What are you doing up?” he asked softly, their code words for ‘what was the nightmare about this time?’</p><p>“I just couldn’t sleep,” she replied in the same, soft voice. This was their code for ‘it was the one about you dying.’</p><p>’I just needed some water’ meant ‘I was seeing visions of the dead clones again.’</p><p>’I was cold’ meant ‘It was the one about <em>me </em>dying.’</p><p>There were many more code sentences that they had created when they were away on missions, codes that only Anakin, Ahsoka, and (after a few weeks of living with her) Padme could crack.</p><p>“Come here,” he said with a sad smile, opening the arm that wasn’t wrapped around his mother to her. Seeing her like this only strengthened his anger toward the Jedi.</p><p>Sixteen year olds shouldn’t have nightmares about war.</p><p>Sixteen year olds shouldn’t have battle scars.</p><p>But Ahsoka did.</p><p>“I’m so sorry to bother you both, Mrs. Skywalker-“</p><p>“I don’t want to hear any of that talk,” Shmi interrupted with a smile. “There’s always room for one more.”</p><p>“Told you,” Anakin whispered as Ahsoka buried herself in the side of his night robes.</p><p>She was too tired to snap back with her usual snippiness, so she just sighed contently, letting her silent tears wet Anakin’s shirt as she tucked her face into the fabric covering his collarbone. They had both mastered the ability of quiet crying, as well as unofficially promising to comfort one another without exposing them to any others in the room.</p><p>“You okay?” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her lekku.</p><p>“As long as you are,” she said back, allowing Anakin to remember what her nightmare had been about.</p><p>“I’m right here, Ahsoka. I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered back.</p><p>Beside him, Shmi began humming a song, familiar to both Anakin and Ahsoka.</p><p>Ahsoka looked up at him, a question in her eyes. He nodded, confirming that Shmi was the one who had taught him the lullaby that he used to sing to her.</p><p>No words were spoken between the three of them, just Shmi’s quiet humming as she combed through Anakin’s hair with her fingers.</p><p>Anakin felt Ahsoka begin to relax against him. His chest damp with her tears as she sniffled quietly.</p><p>“<em>As the suns go a-setting, there’s paint in the sky</em></p><p><em>The blues turn to orange, and the clouds, they float by,</em>” Anakin began, turning his mother’s hums into words.</p><p>
  <em>“The sands, they grow cold, it’s night on the farm</em>
</p><p><em>But the chill cannot reach us, for together is warm,</em>” Ahsoka joined in, her voice cracking, too breathy to even be considered a whisper.</p><p>“<em>No, the chill cannot reach us, for together is warm,</em>” they finished in unison. Anakin ran his hand up and down Ahsoka’s back as him and his mother continued humming the tune.</p><p>She was asleep in minutes, her lengthened breaths the only sound filling the room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Anakin and Ahsoka is my favorite relationship in Star Wars, so I love making them happy. (And we didn’t get enough hugs in canon, so I wanna fix that).</p></blockquote></div></div>
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